Reclining seat mechanism



March 29, 1938. s. K. BRADFIELD, JR'

RECLINING SEAT MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fieazye .B

raafik Y A, ATTO R N E Y NTORgj/(jii' March 29, 1938. G. K. BRADFIELD.JR

RECLINING SEAT MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1936 go which is situated betweenthe spaced plates H] for the limits Set y the Stops 355 and V e oterminates at one end in a notched projection 28 back to the positionshown in Fig. 1. 55

Patented Mai. 29, 1938 2,112,2ti5

omreo rile 2,112,265 RECLINING SEAT MECHANISM George K. Bradfield, 5n,l'tlackensack, N. J., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 4, 1936,Serial No. 57,493 8 Claims. (Cl. 155-161) This invention relates toreclining seat backs and at the other end in a limiting projection 39.in general and in particular to reclining seats in- A casting or forging32 is connected to the base tended for railway or motor vehicle use.frame between the spaced side plates l and is Previous reclining seatmechanisms have in formed withlimiting stops 34 and 3% adapted togeneral provided for but a limited number of C ope ate W th the limitingprojection on the positions of inclination of the seat back and havecontrol arm. The casting or o g n is o formbeen cumbersome and liable torattle in service. ed with upstanding ears 38 adapted to receive pin Itis an object of the invention, therefore, to pro- 49 upon w i is p v abrake n r l l v r 4 vide a reclining seat back mechanism which isCarrying a one end. a p 44 adapted to Slide in simple and permits of aninfinite number of 51013 46 0 pp finger 43 slidably mounted Oil 10positions of the back between certain limits. he fa e of the seat sideframe. The other end of Another obj t of th invention is t movithecontrol lever carries one pin 5|] upon which sion of a simple recliningseat mechanism which is pivotally mounted a brake Shoe 52 adapted toprevents rattling of the mechanism frictionally engage the curvedportion of the con- 5 A further object of th i v nti n i th rovitrol armand another pin 54 to which is connected i5 sion oi a reclining seatmechanism which frica D1111 d 5 A sp n 8 surrounds the p l d tionallyholds the seat back in adjusted position. a d has one end b a o b c 69prov ded A still further object or the invention is the with a d p 62resting n t e n tch of the provision of a reclining t meehanism whichcontrol arm projection 23, while the other end more firmly grips theseat back with increased bears against a Washer 554 adlustablypositioned 0 pressure on th b k, with respect to the rod by nuts 56. Thestored These and other objects of the invention will energy of e Sp g Wll t us act to set the brake be apparent to one skill d i th t from atudy to prevent movement of the seat back or with the of the followingdescription and accompanying brake removed will act to return the seatback to drawings in which: its more nearly vertical position. It shouldbe Figure 1 is a side i of th t it parts noted also that the weight ofthe control lever broken away to more clearly disclose the reclinandtripping finger aids the Spring in Se i g t e ing mecha i brake and itshould be especially noted that the Fig. 2 is a plan i of th t Sidepiece and pivot pin 50 or brake shoe center is to one side shows thereclining mechanism in full lines, and of the line connecting the pinand Seat back Fig. 3 is an enlarged id view of t reciining trunnion itwhich will cause the brake shoe to mechanism with the back in recliningposition. more tightly grip the control arm When force is Referring nowto the drawings in det it is applied in a clockwise direction to theseat back seen that the seat is formed with a frame A havas Viewed in mgSide pieces 13 bgtween which is placed a cush The operation of the seatback is as follows: As- 35 i n 0 and t which is pivoted the back 11suming the seat back to be in the upright position Th frame A is ofConventional f m being shown in Figure 1 wherein projection til engagesform d f pressed members 2 and 4 and back stop 36 and brake 52 engagesthe control arm to cross tie 6 and upon this frame is mounted theprevent movement of the seat back, and it is 40 id frames 5 t which areattached Spaced plates sired to tilt the back, it is only necessary tolift 40 to and arm rest 2 The Spaced piates 1 trip finger 4-8 to thedotted position of Fig. 3 reid an d h ioeation for the reclining leasingthe brake and permitting movement of the mech is l t t h described, seatback. During movement of the seat back to Th at b k i securely attachedto arms M an inclined position energy is stored in the spring rigidlyconnected t trunnion shaft 5 having which acts instantly to set thebrake when the rounded portion or trunnion 3 journaled in trip finger isreleased. The backward movement bearing 29' Connected to the side fraThe of the back is positively checked by projection 3B trunnion shaft 16has a squared or similar shaped Striking Stop but an infinite number ofend 22 to non-rotatably receive control arm at tions of the seat back ybe selected between movement with the seat back of which it is practhem?15 T19 GIOCkWiSe acting pressure being ptically an extension. Thecontrol arm is provided plied to the Seat back of 3, it is y hecessal'ywith a portion 26 curved substantially concentric to lift trip finger itto remove the brake and the with the seat back trunnion and whichportion s ored energy of the spring will return the seat The seat backreturning spring constantly acts to maintain the brake set and thisspring action is aided by the weight of the lever which is of itselfsufii-cient to set the brake and thus the seat will function even thoughthe spring were to break, the only inconvenience being that the backwould have to be manually moved to upright position. The relativelocation of the pivots M3, 5i? and 18, or pivots 40, i8 and brake shoecenter, insures an increased braking force under increased pressureapplied to the seat back by an occupant of the seat and the weight ofthe control arm aided by the spring insures that the back will be firmlygripped to prevent rattling of the back under vibratory forces. Itshould also be noted that the spring serves as a common means not onlyto set the brake and return the seat back, but to main- 7 tain allconnections under strain thus preventing the rattling of parts which isextremely objectionable and hard to avoid in motor vehicles.

The invention has been described in more or less detail but it is to beunderstood that this description is purely representative and thatvarious modifications and arrangements of parts may be accomplishedwithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a frame adapted to support a seat, a swingingseat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith, trunnionmeans mounting said seat back on said frame, a control lever movablyconnected adjacent one end to said frame to present a long and shortarm, a brake shoe pivotally connected to said short arm and coactingwith said control arm, means connected to said short arm and bearingupon the control arm to yieldingly hold said brake shoe in grippingengagement with said control arm, and tripping means connected. to saidlong arm for releasing said brake shoe from engagement with the controlarm.

2. In combination with a frame adapted to sup port a seat, a swingingseat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith, a controllever pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said frame to presenta long and short arm, a brake shoe movably connected to said short armand coacting with said control arm, and spring means connected to saidcontrol lever and control arm, said long arm and spring means actingtogether to normally yieldingly hold said brake shoe in grippingengagement with said control arm.

3. In combination with a frame adapted to support a seat, a swingingseat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith, a controllever movably connected adjacent one end to said frame to present a longand short arm, a brake shoe connected to said short arm and coactingwith said control arm, and means interconnecting said short arm andcontrol arm, said means yieldingly holding said brake shoe in grippingengagement with said control arm and. urging said seat back to uprightposition.

4. In combination with a frame adapted to support a seat, a swingingseat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith, a controllever movably connected adjacent one end to said frame to present a longand short arm, a brake shoe connected to said short arm and coactingwith said control arm, resilient means connected to said short arm andbearing upon said control arm, said resilient means yieldingly holdingsaid brake shoe in gripping engagement with said control arm and urgingsaid seat back to upright position.

5. In combination with a frame adapted to support a seat, a swingingseat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith, a brake shoecoacting with said control arm, a control lever movably connected tosaid brake shoe and seat frame, and means interconnecting said lever andcontrol arm, said means yieldingly holding said brake shoe in grippingengagement with said control arm and urging said seat back to uprightposition.

6. In combination with a frame adapted to sup port a seat, aswinging'seat back having a control arm rigidly connected therewith,trunnion means mounting said back on said frame, a control lever movablyconnected adjacent one end to said frame to present a long and shortarm, a

brake shoe connected to said short arm and coactingwith said controlarm, being located to one side of the line connecting said movableconnection and trunnion means, means interconnecting said short arm andcontrol arm, said last named means said brake shoe in grippingengagement with said control arm and urging said seat back to uprightposition. 7

7, In combination with a frame for supporting a seat, a swinging seatback pivoted to the frame, a control arm rigidly connected to the seatback, a bell crank control lever pivotally connected intermediate itsends to said frame to provide a long arm and a short arm, a brake shoepivoted said brake shoe center to the shortarm of said lever, andyielding means interconnecting the control lever and control arm in sucha manner as to normally yieldingly hold the brake shoe in engagementwith the control arm.

8. In combination with a seat supporting i frame, a swinging seat backpivoted to said frame, a controlarm rigidly connected to the seat back,a control lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the frameto provide a long arm and a short arm, the end portion of said short armbeing arranged adjacent the control arm, a brake shoe connected to theshort arm, and spring means interconnecting the control lever and control arm in such a manner ingly hold the brake shoe in as to normallyyieldengagement with the control arm.

GEORGE K. BRADFIELD, JR.

yieldingly holding

